Robert Sidney Bandy was born in North Carolina January 30, 1833 and was an infant when the family moved to Calamine, Arkansas later the same year. Sidney was the youngest child and his mother, Rebecca was about forty years old when he was born. Since his father, Thomas., believed in education, Sidney went to school and later taught at Shady Grove School. His marriage to Catherine Wilkerson was on October 12, 1855. Catherine, according to a couple of relatives, was feisty and a starchy person. There are also a couple of old letters written to his son John Levi. The War Between the States was a memorable time for his family. Sidney was about 27 years old when the fighting began in 1861. He left a wife and two young sons to serve the Confederate Cause. His first experience was a month's call-up as a private in Co. F of Captain Israel Milligan's Infantry Vol. He was at Camp Borland and his service time was from Nov 20 to Dec 20 1861. (Camp Borland was south of Batesville, between Batesville and Little Rock, AR.) Later he volunteered on the 12th of June, 1862 at Smithville, AR and returned home after the War on June 23, 1865. This time he became a First Sergeant during his service in Robert Glenn Shaver's 38th AR Inf. Robert "Fighting Bob" Shaver organized the 38th in July, 1862 and was made a Colonel. Before Sidney joined Shaver's force the Battle of Shiloh took place in April, 1862. Shaver had three horses killed from under him the first day and on the second day he was desperately wounded. For the balance of the War, Shaver, who became a General, was actively engaged west of the Mississippi. In August 1862 his men were sent to Pocahontas, and in December they participated in the Battle of Prarie Grove. The following summer he took part in the defence of Little Rock and covered the retreat of the Confederate Army when that city evacuated in August. The 27th Regt. was consolidated with the 38th and participated in the battles of Pleasant Hill and Jenkins Ferry. After the latter fight, about April 15, 1864, General Shaver was assigned the command of the post of Camden and fortified that town. In March 1865, Shaver was ordered to Galveston and reached Marshall on the way, when by direction of General E. Kirby Smith he was halted. He was at Marshall when the break up of forces took place. His regiment was composed chiefly of North Arkansas troops and to save his men a long walk home, he marched them to Shreveport and surrendered there to General Herron. His was the last organized force of the Confederacy to lay down arms. At Shreveport he procured from General Herron a large steamboat and on this he transported his men to Jacksonport, AR. He was also fortunate enough to procure a 8 months rations, drawing rations five different times on the way home. He also secured a supply of potatoes which he required the men to save for planting. Arriving at Jacksonport about the 20th of June, the men were disbanded and our Robert Sidney took until June 23 to get himself back to his little family in Calamine. In 1901 Sidney began to receive a Confederate pension from the State of Arkansas. After Catherine's death in 1907, Sid spent his last year living with his daughter, Julia Damron, in Warner, Oklahoma. Not only did Julia have her father, a Confederate veteran living with her, but she also had her father-in-law, a Union veteran. These two old soldiers often got into controversies over the conflict. His stay in Warner was short. Sidney died February 9, 1908 and was buried in Warner, right next to Julia's father-in-law Damron. Information provided by Madeline Bandy McClure.